Stories Along The Way

Visiting New York City can feel overwhelming. There’s so much traffic, so many people, so much to see, and definitely so much walking. Before you even get there, you might wonder how you’re going to figure it all out.

I recently spent a week in New York with my son and his dad. Our goal was to visit both baseball stadiums, see the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, the Financial District, and experience as much of New York as we possibly could.

We stayed in beautiful Weehawken, New Jersey, right across the Hudson River from Manhattan. Our hotel was only about a four-minute walk from the ferry station. The ferry ride into Manhattan was about 10 to 15 minutes, and the views of the Manhattan skyline from the water were absolutely beautiful.

Once we arrived in Manhattan, we had to figure out the buses and, of course, the subway.

At first, all those subway lines and routes seemed overwhelming. But honestly, it wasn’t nearly as complicated as I thought it would be. My son quickly became our subway expert and figured out most of the routes. Somehow, during an entire week in New York, we only got lost once!

And yes, there is A LOT of walking. There are also plenty of stairs, especially when using the subway. I’m not going to pretend my legs weren’t feeling it by the end of the day. They definitely were! But every step was worth it.

Baseball in New York

Baseball was a huge part of our trip.

Visiting Yankee Stadium was an experience in itself. There is so much history connected to the Yankees and the stadium that you can feel how special the place is. Even as Dodgers fans, we could appreciate just how unique it was to be there.

Then there was Citi Field, home of the Mets. That experience also led us to an unexpected favorite—Donovan’s Pub. We stopped there and had what I can honestly say was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. Sometimes the places you discover along the way become just as memorable as the places you planned to see.

Being Dodgers fans made everything even better. We came across so many other fans who were also following the Dodgers through New York. Pantone 294, a group of dedicated Dodgers fans, was there too. There was something pretty cool about being all the way across the country and still seeing Dodger blue everywhere.

Exploring New York

Of course, our week was about much more than baseball.

We experienced Times Square, explored the Financial District, saw the Statue of Liberty, visited the Brooklyn Bridge, and made our way to DUMBO in Brooklyn.

DUMBO was one of those places I had seen so many times in pictures. The cobblestone streets, old brick buildings, and that famous view of the Manhattan Bridge give it a personality all its own.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral was another highlight. What a breathtaking building. The architecture, stained-glass windows, and incredible details are something you really have to see in person.

Right across the street is Rockefeller Center, another iconic New York place you’ve seen countless times in movies and on TV. There is something completely different about finally standing there yourself.

And then there’s the Louis Vuitton building. Designed to look like giant Louis Vuitton trunks stacked on top of each other, you definitely can’t walk by without noticing it.

Then we made it to Canal Street.

Canal Street is an experience all by itself! Busy, crowded, full of little shops and vendors—and, of course, well known for all those “designer” bags. 😂 If you know, you know!

That’s what I loved about New York. Sometimes you don’t even need a destination. Just walking down the street can become part of the experience because you never know what you’re going to see next.

We Have to Talk About the Food

You cannot spend a week in New York and not talk about the food.

We ate at several local places, but my all-time favorite was Los Tacos No. 1. If you ever go to New York and you like tacos, that is your place to go. Between those tacos and the incredible burger at Donovan’s Pub, New York definitely did not disappoint.

Would I Go Back?

Before this trip, New York seemed complicated to me. The traffic, subway system, crowds, buses, walking—it all looked like a lot.

After spending a week there, I see it differently.

Once you start figuring things out, it really isn’t as intimidating as it looks. There is something exciting about getting on a subway, coming back above ground, and suddenly finding yourself in a completely different part of the city.

But when I think back on the trip, my favorite part isn’t one building, stadium, bridge, or restaurant.

It was experiencing all of it with my son and his dad.

It was watching my son figure out the subway routes. It was laughing when we got lost. It was walking until our legs hurt, eating good food, watching our Dodgers, seeing places we’d only seen in pictures, and experiencing New York together.

Maybe that’s what traveling is really about.

Yes, you remember the places you visited and the things you saw. But what stays with you are the people you experienced them with and the memories you created along the way.

New York also reminded me that sometimes a place—or even an experience—can look much more intimidating from the outside than it actually is once you’re living it.

Was New York exhausting sometimes? Absolutely.

Was it worth all that walking? Absolutely.

Would I go back?

Tomorrow.